diff --git a/src/dehacked.c b/src/dehacked.c
index 61dba24c8..9130c3e40 100644
--- a/src/dehacked.c
+++ b/src/dehacked.c
@@ -1666,9 +1666,10 @@ static void readtextpromptpage(MYFILE *f, INT32 num, INT32 pagenum)
 				textprompts[num]->page[pagenum].lines = usi;
 			else if (fastcmp(word, "BACKCOLOR"))
 			{
-				UINT8 backcolor;
+				INT32 backcolor;
 				if      (i == 0 || fastcmp(word2, "WHITE")) backcolor = 0;
-				else if (i == 1 || fastcmp(word2, "GRAY") || fastcmp(word2, "GREY")) backcolor = 1;
+				else if (i == 1 || fastcmp(word2, "GRAY") || fastcmp(word2, "GREY") ||
+					fastcmp(word2, "BLACK")) backcolor = 1;
 				else if (i == 2 || fastcmp(word2, "BROWN")) backcolor = 2;
 				else if (i == 3 || fastcmp(word2, "RED")) backcolor = 3;
 				else if (i == 4 || fastcmp(word2, "ORANGE")) backcolor = 4;
@@ -1678,8 +1679,8 @@ static void readtextpromptpage(MYFILE *f, INT32 num, INT32 pagenum)
 				else if (i == 8 || fastcmp(word2, "PURPLE")) backcolor = 8;
 				else if (i == 9 || fastcmp(word2, "MAGENTA")) backcolor = 9;
 				else if (i == 10 || fastcmp(word2, "AQUA")) backcolor = 10;
-				else if (i < 0) backcolor = UINT8_MAX; // CONS_BACKCOLOR user-configured
-				else backcolor = 11; // default green
+				else if (i < 0) backcolor = INT32_MAX; // CONS_BACKCOLOR user-configured
+				else backcolor = 1; // default gray
 				textprompts[num]->page[pagenum].backcolor = backcolor;
 			}
 			else if (fastcmp(word, "ALIGN"))
diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_draw.c b/src/hardware/hw_draw.c
index 6d4467439..4c6a29fa3 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_draw.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_draw.c
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ void HWR_DrawTutorialBack(UINT32 color, INT32 boxheight)
 	v[2].tow = v[3].tow = 0.0f;
 
 	Surf.FlatColor.rgba = UINT2RGBA(color);
-	Surf.FlatColor.s.alpha = 0x80;
+	Surf.FlatColor.s.alpha = (color == 0 ? 0xC0 : 0x80); // make black darker, like software
 
 	HWD.pfnDrawPolygon(&Surf, v, 4, PF_NoTexture|PF_Modulated|PF_Translucent|PF_NoDepthTest);
 }
diff --git a/src/v_video.c b/src/v_video.c
index 7296dc754..3e2910df5 100644
--- a/src/v_video.c
+++ b/src/v_video.c
@@ -1497,7 +1497,7 @@ void V_DrawPromptBack(INT32 boxheight, INT32 color)
 		switch (color)
 		{
 			case 0:		hwcolor = 0xffffff00;	break; // White
-			case 1:		hwcolor = 0x80808000;	break; // Gray
+			case 1:		hwcolor = 0x00000000;	break; // Gray // Note this is different from V_DrawFadeConsBack
 			case 2:		hwcolor = 0x40201000;	break; // Brown
 			case 3:		hwcolor = 0xff000000;	break; // Red
 			case 4:		hwcolor = 0xff800000;	break; // Orange